Friday, August 25, 2017

review: Paganizer

[review by MMB]

Paganizer

Land of Weeping Souls

release date: August 1st, 2017

label: Transcending Obscurity Records

Traditional-conservative death metal loyalists might not be the majority in the world of extreme metal, yet those fanatics who seek out the orthodox ways of the classic sounds should have not too much difficulty once they find their way towards the doors of the purveyors of death metal. Enter Paganizer and Rogga “Bone Swedenizer” Johansson. This album is based on the foundational framework of the death metal of the late 80s and early 90s and is designed for the golden age of Death, Morbid Angel, Entombed, Dismember, Napalm Death, Carcass, Bolt Thrower, Sinister and Pestilence.

It's not that Paganizer sounds retro, it's that this is the way they sound and it's what Rogga "Riff Machinizer" Johansson does and loves. The old American, British, Swedish and Dutch scenes certainly provided good death metal that went around the world.

Also, it should be noted that, interestingly enough, Paganizer does not sound like those classic bands. In fact, if you were to point out what Rogga "Voodoo Zombiefizer" Johansson says he likes, he might tell you that he loves Massacre and Furbowl and Grave, which he does.

Anyway, Rogga "Buzzsaw Operatizer" Johansson believes wholeheartedly in the 1980s ways of death metal: simple, direct, headbanging, heavy, sick, catchy, guitar solos and all-out aggressive loud growling. I have never heard of anyone explaining it this way, but this is the deal: it's death metal made by heavy metal maniacs whose most profound foundations come from heavy metal itself and they are taking the no-nonsense Judas Priest way of making music to death metal; it's death metal that comes from heavy metal. Nowadays, lots of modern death metal doesn't sound like it comes from heavy metal because it does not; it comes from progressive rock or jazz or hardcore/punk or pop rock or whatever.

Paganizer is death metal largely resembling old-school, early Swedish death metal. It hits quickly. It gets to the point quickly. If you are an old fanatic, then you have heard it all in some form, but this is why you'll understand and like it. It's for you.

Rogga "Maggot Colonizer" Johansson does not care if you are old or young. If you are not too familiar with the bands mentioned in this review, that's great, too. Rogga "Worm Survivizer" Johansson and his band are an awesome gateway to the classic sound. This is the way death metal is supposed to rot in death’s sleep.